Golf-tee.



(Application flied Nov. 22, 1899.)

(No Model.)

STATES PATENT Enron,

VILLIAM HERRICK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO TI-IE MORGAN &

IVRIGHT, OF SAME PLACE.

GOLF-TEE.,

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 648,956, dated May 8, 1900. Application filed November 22, 1899. Serial No. 737,917. (No model.)

To tu 'L1/7mm it' may concern- Be it known that I, WILLIAM HERRICK, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvementin Golf-Tees, of which the following is a specification. v

My invention contemplates a flexible or elastic golf-teethat is to say, a springy or elastic tee which will yield readily to pressure, but which when released will instantly regain its normal shape. For example, the-tee may be composed of rubber or rubber com position and a rubber tee constructed in accordance with my invention is preferably frusto-conical, or approximately so, in form, and is preferably hollow and open at each end. Its base is preferably perforated to permit the attachment of a short cord or string, which can be attached in the form of a loop or noose and which when made of some bright-colored material will render the tee easily discernible when accidentally dropped in the grass. The frusto-conical formation of the tee provides it with a crown or blunted apex upon which to place the ball and also with a broad base, which permits it to rest or set firmly upon the ground. The sloping sides of the tee are preferably concave, and the tee is molded with thin walls, whereby it will yield or collapse readily under a low stroke, the shape and thickness of the rubber permitting it to simply crush down and remain in place instead of being carried forward by the blow. With other tees the formation and thickness 0f the rubber are such that a low stroke carries the tee forward with the ball; but by my invention I am enabled to provide a tee which prac' tically offers no resistance to the head of the driver in case the ball is struck too low and which, even whenl struck squarely and at the ground, will travel only a very short distance.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective of myimproved golf-tee. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same. Fig. 3 is a View showing a golf-ball seated upon the tee, the latter beingshown in vertical-section.

As thus illustrated, the flexible or elastic vtee A is preferably frusto-conical orsubstantially frusto-conicalin form and has its upper end a adapted to afford a seat for the golfball B. The tee is preferably molded from rubber or rubber composition. It can be made solid, butis preferably hollow and open at each end. To the periphery of the base of the tee I attach a loop a of cord or string, which not only serves as a means by which the tee can be carried or hung up, but which also serves to' prevent the tee from being lost, for it will be seen that by making this loop of some bright-r 6o colored materialthat is to say, a color which will readily attract the eye-the tee becomes easily discernible and not liable to be lost in thegrass.

The manner of using the tee is shown in Fig. 3, and at this juncture it will be seen that the thickness of the rubber is such that it yields readily to a low stroke, offering no resistance to the head of the driver, and that for this reason the tee will not, in case the 7o ball is struck rather low, be carried forward by the blow, but will be simply crushed down or flattened upon the ground or at most driven onlya short distance. The frusto-conical or' substantiallyl frusto-conical formation of the tee provides it with a crown or blunted apex upon which to place the ball, as shown in said Fig. 3, and also with a relatively-broad base,- which permits it to set firmly upon the ground.

The rubber. tees can of course be made of different heights, and while the sides of the one shown are slightly concave it may still be regarded as frusto-conical in form,or substantially so, as stated. p

A tee thus made of rubber is durable and serviceable and -obviates the necessity lof teeing the ball with sand or dirt. rThe usual sand tees vary, of course, in height, and

as such variation is objectionable my inven-` 9o tion has therefore the further advantage of insuring a uniform teeing of the ball. Also,

as stated, the form and character of the tee permit it to yield readily to a low stroke, and thereby prevent it from being driven or car- 95 ried forward by the blow; but even when struck squarely and at the ground the form and shape ofthe tee arelsuch that the air resistance will prevent it from traveling'very far, and in such case the tasseled cord et' roo then serves as a tail -to steer it in the direction of the blow. My improved tee is therefore not only indestructible, but also of a character which prevents it from being lost.

What I olaimas my invention is- 1. A golf-tee having a broad hollow base and a seat for the ball at its uppel1 end, said tee being of substantially frusto-oonieal form and molded to present a thin-elastic Wall eX- tending from the base to the seat of the ball.

2. A golf-tee having a broad hollow base and a seat for the ball at its upper end, said x tee being of substantially frusto-conical forni and molded to present a more or less exterior eonoaved elastic Wall extending from the base to the seat of the ball.

VILLTAM HERRICK. lVitnesses:

W. C. PELOT, W. A. HEPPLER. 

